AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With his research done and his cover firmly in place, he only had to engineer a meet-cute.
He headed to the beach just after sunrise. When she ran, that was her time. He ran two miles that day and the next without seeing her. He had to remind himself to be patient, remind himself he established a pattern for any other early risers who walked the beach or drank coffee on their oceanfront decks.
The guy in the Mets cap who jogs in the morning.
The third day she beat him there, so he fell into place behind her.
Long legs, tight body—the way he liked them. She had a long ponytail through the back opening of her ball cap. Other than the length of the hair, she reminded him of Morgan.
Maybe she had more curves—but they reminded him of his mother, so it all worked.
Prime catch.
After a solid mile, she turned. He’d paced himself so they’d run toward each other just long enough. He flashed a smile, tapped his cap, tapped a finger in the air at hers.
“Go team!”
“Having a good year,” she responded, only slightly breathless, and kept going.
“Hot bats.” He ran on, then turned, paced her again, keeping about six feet between them.
When she slowed to a walk, he gave her a half wave as he ran by. She’d walk another quarter mile or thereabouts. He’d watched her routine through binoculars. She’d cool down with the walk, stretch a little, then walk up the path between the oceanfronts and back to her own house.
He stopped at that point, bent over to brace his hands on his knees, panted some until she walked closer.
With a half smile, he straightened. “It’s a pretty run, but I’m not used to running on wet sand.”
“You did fine.”
“You did better. From New York?”
“Born there.” Keeping a careful distance, she balanced on one leg for a quick quad stretch. “But I’ve lived here most of my life.”
Which sounded clearly in her coastal Southern drawl.
“I inherited my love for the Mets from my grandfather. New York?” she asked in turn.
“I moved to Brooklyn right after college. Found my place and my ball team. Nice to meet a fellow Mets fan in South Carolina. They’re playing the Mariners tonight. Bassitt against Castillo.”
“I’m looking forward to it. So, you and your family on vacation?”
“No family, just me. Working vacation. Can’t beat the view.” Hegestured back. “I’m two back from these big-ass oceanfronts. They call it Riding the Wave.”
She’d check on him with that info, he thought. Just as he wanted her to.
“Ah, Trevor Caine.” He offered a hand.
“Quinn Loper. Enjoy your stay.”
“Oh, I am. Maybe I’ll see you on the run tomorrow.”
She shot a smile over her shoulder as she walked away. “Maybe.”
He timed it well the next day, and she ran just behind him. He slowed just enough. “Hell of a game,” he called out.
He hadn’t watched it, but he’d gathered all the stats and highlights. “That double play in the bottom of the ninth? Sweet!”
They ran together for a stretch, tossing game tidbits back and forth. This time he slowed to a walk when she did.
